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old, to individual as well as to nations With men of low character we cannot have a great nation. Life, character, is the greatest power in the world, and character it is that gives the power; for in all true power, along whatever line it may be, it is, after all, living the life that tells. This is a great law that but few who would have great power and influence seem to recognise, or, at least, that but few seem to act upon. We cannot build rightly with wrong materials. More than your intellectual ability or skill what makes you valuable to society is your devotion to a great cause. We have great natural resources, intelligent men and women and in addition we learn to work together with a spirit of dedication to the sacred cause, I am sure none can prevent us from achieving our goal. Our future destiny as a nation depends on our spiritual strength and not upon our material wealth. If we contemplate merely material things, as gold or silver or copper or iron, our souls, our natures, and even our faces become like them, hard and flinty, robbed of their finer and better and grander qualities. If you recall to your mind the picture of a skinflint you will quickly find that this is true. He thought he was going to be a master: he finds himself the slave. Instead of possessing his wealth, his wealth possesses him, Goal of perfection cannot be achieved by the weak in spirit. The greatest asset of a nation is nothing but spirit and if we break that, we imperil the future of the people. If we develope that power of spirit, our future will be bright.
